1. Field of the Art
The present invention relates generally to a boom sprayer, and more particularly to a telescoping boom sprayer having a plurality of telescoping booms carrying spray heads and moveable relative to one another. Still further, the present invention relates to a telescoping boom sprayer with spray head deactivation means to provide variable width spraying without an overlap in spraying and an improved means for connecting the same to the power unit. The invention also relates to an improved method of spraying agricultural crops and the like with a boom sprayer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of agricultural sprayers currently exist in the art. One common type of agricultural sprayer is a fixed boom or fixed length sprayer comprised of a tractor or other towing vehicle and a pair of articulated spray booms extending outwardly from opposite sides of the tractor or other towing vehicle. These booms, when extended, have a fixed length and are comprised of either single length booms or articulated boom sections which are folded in chicken wing fashion during non-use or transport. Agricultural sprayers and the like also exist which have a plurality of booms moveable relative to one another between an extended position and a retracted position.
Examples of existing spray implements include the McMahon U.S. Pat. No. 2,995,307 which discloses an articulated boom sprayer and the Nansel U.S. Pat. No. 3,055,594 which discloses an articulated, foldable boom type sprayer. The Atkinson U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,649 discloses a spraying apparatus having a single spray head at the end of a telescoping boom for spraying or washing a single element.
The High U.S. Pat. No. 2,962,307 discloses a plurality of extendable booms, with each boom having a plurality of spray heads. This patent discloses separate hoses and valves for each line of spray heads. Thus if it is desired for one spray head in a particular line to be used, all spray heads in that line must necessarily be used.
The DeWitt et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,324 discloses a spraying apparatus for herbicidal and insecticidal application with an articulated and telescoping boom and with spray heads positioned on the boom.
Although many of the prior art sprayers, and in particular boom sprayers, are capable of spraying agricultural crops and the like over an extended width, they are generally incapable of spraying at lesser widths or at variable widths without a spraying overlap. Thus, to spray widths less than the maximum width of the sprayer, or to accommodate trees, posts or other obstacles that might be in the path of the sprayer booms, spraying overlap is necessary. This not only results in spraying more of the spray liquid than is needed and thereby increasing the spraying cost, but more importantly, results in double application or no application for portions of the crop being sprayed. This can lead to significantly reduced production for those areas or in some cases killing the crop as a result of over application.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an improved boom sprayer, and more particularly to an improved telescoping boom sprayer which is capable of spraying various widths without spray overlap.
In contrast to the prior art, the present invention relates to an improved telescoping boom sprayer which can spray crops and the like from a width of 75 feet to 120 feet or more and any width in between, with no spray overlap and with a single spray material supply to the extendable boom. Further, the boom sprayer in accordance with the present invention can fold up into a compact structure for transport or during non-use.
More specifically, the present invention includes a first elongated boom which has an inner end connected to a towing or support vehicle or the like and a second free end. A second telescoping or extendable boom is associated with the first boom and is designed for telescoping movement outwardly and inwardly relative to the first boom. In the preferred embodiment, both the first boom as well as the second boom are provided with a plurality of spray heads which are positioned in spaced relationship along the first and second booms, respectively. Each of the plurality of spray heads in the second or extendable boom is provided with a spray head valve which is moveable between an xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d or spray position and an xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d or non-spray position in response to movement of the second boom outwardly and inwardly relative to the first. With this structure, spray heads of the second boom which are positioned inwardly at the outer end of the first boom remain in an xe2x80x9coffxe2x80x9d or non-spray position, while second boom spray heads which are extended outwardly from the outer end of the first boom are moved to an xe2x80x9conxe2x80x9d or spray position. This enables the boom sprayer of the present invention to spray over a variable width with no overlap.
A further aspect of the present invention relates to a boom sprayer having first and second or inner and outer booms moveable relative to one another and an improved means for supplying spray material to both the spray heads in the first or inner boom as well as the spray heads in the second or outer boom. In the preferred embodiment, this means includes an improved spray supply conduit having a first portion extending from near the inner end of the inner boom, a central portion connected to the inner boom at a connection point between the inner and outer ends of the inner boom and a second portion extending from the connection point to a spray supply conduit and thus to the plurality of spray heads on the outer or extendable boom.
Preferably at least the second portion of the spray supply conduit is comprised of a flexible hose to accommodate the varying length between the connection point and the inner end of the extendable boom as such boom is extended and retracted. A spray supply support is provided in the form of a pulley member associated with the flexible hose and a spring or bias member acting on the pulley to support the flexible hose and maintain it in a taut position during movement of the extendable boom.
A further aspect of the present invention relates to an improved method of agricultural spraying with a boom sprayer which includes an initial step of providing a boom sprayer having a first boom, a second boom moveable outwardly and inwardly relative to the first boom and a plurality of spray heads positioned along the second boom. Further steps include providing a supply of spray fluid to the spray heads, selectively moving the second or outer boom outwardly and inwardly relative to the first boom and individually actuating and de-actuating the spray heads as the second boom moves outwardly and inwardly relative to the first. This method enables the boom sprayer of the present invention to spray over variable widths with no spray overlap.
A still further aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved means for connecting the boom sprayer to the support or towing vehicle. This means includes a rear gantry which is both self leveling and is capable of independent actuation for each spray boom. The specific structure of the support means includes a pendulum-type support which is pivotally connected to the support vehicle. The pendulum includes shock absorbers which stabilize the rotational movement of the support relative to the vehicle and a pair of parallel linkages to support the respective booms so that they can be raised and lowered independently of one another.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved telescoping boom sprayer.
Another objection of the present invention is to provide a telescoping boom sprayer which is capable of spraying over variable widths without spray overlap.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved agricultural boom sprayer having a fixed boom and an extendable boom with a plurality of spray heads and improved means for opening the spray heads on the extendable boom as they move outwardly from the outer end of the fixed boom and closing such spray heads as they move inwardly from the outer end of the fixed boom to thereby provide variable width spraying.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved means for providing spray material to the spray heads on the extendable boom of a telescoping boom sprayer.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved boom sprayer, preferably of the telescoping type, with an improved means to mount the sprayer to the support or towing vehicle.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of spraying with a boom sprayer.
These and other objects of the present invention become apparent with reference to the drawings, the description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims.